cunningham



No. 6l5,8|l. Patented Dec. 13, I898.

J. w. CUNNINGHAM. I

V GRINDING MILL.

(Application filed. June 13, 1896.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Shoot 1.

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No. 6|5,8ll.

. Patented Dec. l3, I898. J. W. CUNNINGHAM.

GRINDING MILL.

(Application filed June 13, 1896.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No M01101.)

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a 9 o o B nm. e D d e t n e t a P M A H G N N N u c m 6 0 N GRINDING MILL.

(Application filed June 13, 1896.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3-.

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OSEPII IVILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, OF FREEMANTLE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

GRINDING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ifatent N 0. 615,811, dated December 13, 1898.

Application filed June 13, 1896.

To (tZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILLIAM CUN- NINGHAM, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Nairn street, Freemantle, in the Colony of Western Australia, vhave invented a new and useful Improvement in Grinding-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved grinding or crushing mill; and the obj ect thereof is to provide an improved mill or machine of this class involving a grindingcylinder having grooved recesses or channeled spirals in its outer or grinding face in connection with surrounding blocks having their interior faces formed with vertical grooves or channels, said surrounding blocks being radially adjustable without stopping the mill, thus allowing either fine or coarse grinding at the will of the miller, a further object being to provide a mill of this class having improved means for feeding the grain into the grinding interval or space and for regulating the flow thereof; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which like letters of reference refer to the same parts wherever found throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a mill embodying my invention, the section shown being a central vertical one, Fig. 2, a sectional plan view with a part of the frame and the top cover or guard-plate of the mill and the hopper removed; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the hopper and the grainregulator and showing also a part of the grinding-cylinder and the top or guard plate of the mill, said top or guard plate of the mill beingin section; Fig. 4, an inside and par tial sectional view of one of the radially-adjustable grinding-blocks which I employ; Fig. 5, a plan view of the grinding-cylinder, showing a modified form of construction; Fig. (3, a detail thereof in elevation; Fi 7, an end view of one of the radially-adjustable grind- $erialNo. 595,490. (No model.)

ing-blocks, and Fig. 8 a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

In the practice of my invention I provide a grinding-cylinder A, which is rigid] y mounted on a vertical shaft A which is placed in a frame comprising a base J and easing J which is preferably octagonal in form and which is provided with a transverse bracingplate a The shaft A is journaled in a suitable bottom bearing A and intermediate and top bearings A and said shaft is provided above the bottom bearing with a beveled gear J, through which power is applied in the ordinary manner.

. Formed on the periphery of the grindingcylinder A are inclined channels or spiral grooves Aiwhich act as and constitute a portion of the grinding or crushing surface of the mill, and, if desired, these spiral grooves or channels A may beformed in separate detachable blocks a, as shown in Fig. 5, which may be connected with the roller in any desired manner, but which are preferably connected therewith by means of wedge-shaped tongue-and-groove joints; but these connections form no part of this invention, and said detachable blocks a may be connected with the cylinder A by any preferred means, and by means of this arrangement or construction when the grooves or channels become worn the blocks may be replaced.

The casing J 2 is provided on its inner face or faces, at about a level with the lower edge of the cylinder A,with inwardlydirected lugs or projections J which are secured thereto or formed thereon and which are provided in their upper sides with angular recesses J as shown in Fig. 8, and short shafts J are journaled on these lugs or projections J 3 and pro ject through the casing J and each of said shafts is provided with a pinion D which moves in the corresponding notch or recess J and the outer end of each of said shafts is provided with a handle D A large gear-ring D is mounted within the casing J 2 and rests upon the pinions D and operates in connection therewith, and mounted in the casing J above the lugs or projections J are bearings B and these bearings preferably equal in number the shafts J, and each of said bearings carries a shaft B,

which is provided with a screw-head B and the bearings 13 are also screw-threaded interiorly, and the heads B of the shaft 13 are adapted to turn in said bearings,and mounted on each of said shafts and adjacent to the inner face of said casing is a pinion 13 which engages with the large gear-ring D, which is provided with gear-teeth on both its upper and lower sides.

Suitablysecured to the inner end of each of the shafts B is a grinding-block B, and the inner faces of these blocks B are circular in form to correspond with the outer surface of the grinding-cylinder A, and said blocks are provided in their inner or grinding faces with vertical flukes or grooves B and said blocks are also provided in theirinner faces with an annular cut-away or lead-away portion 3 The blocks B may be removed when their faces are worn, and adj ustably secured to the blocks B or to one end of each are slides O, which are preferably provided with wings or flanges C which overlap the upper and bottom sides of said blocks, and these slides O are so connected with the blocks B that they may be moved in or out as the blocks B are moved out or in, so as to close the spaces between said blocks formed by the outward movement thereof, in order to present an unbroken grinding-surface surrounding the cylinder A. These slides C may be supported in any desired manner; but in Fig. 7 I have shown one of said slides provided with a slot C through which passes a set-screw C by means of which the slide may be secured in place; but any preferred means for adjusting the slide C or for connecting it with the block B may be employed.

Mounted below the cylinder A and surrounding the shaft A is a reception-tray G having a discharge-opening G2 at one side thereof, and secured to the under side of the cylinder A is a collector G, adapted to sweep the crushed or ground grain through said discharge-opening.

Above the cylinder A is a hopper E, into which the grain is fed through the opening E in the hinged door or cover E and inclosing the bottom of the hopper E and secured to the casing J is a top or guard plate G, between which and the hopper is an annular space, and mounted over the top bearing A of the shaft A is a guard-plate E designed to protect the said top bearing of the shaft A" from the grain. The top or guard plate G is designed to cover and protect the parts of the mill between the hopper and the easing and to cover and protect the grinding interval or space between the cylinder A and the blocks B and also to form a support for the ring or band F", and beneath the hopper is an annular space E, and below the top or guard plate G is an annular band F which is intended to regulate the flow of grain through said annular space, and the annular band F 2 is provided with upwardly-directed arms or roections F which ass throu h a p 3 a a space between the top or guard plate G and the hopper E, and these arms or projections are screw-threaded on their outer faces, as shown in Fig. 3, and mounted thereon is the screw-threaded band F which rests upon the shield or guard-plate G and said band F is operated by handles F connected therewith, and the vertical movement thereof is limited by stops F, formed on or secured to the hopper E,and the downward movement thereof is limited by said top or guard plate G. In this movement of the band F around the hopper the feed-regulating band F will be carried therewith until one of the upwardly-directed projections or arms 1 strikes one of the stops F on the side of the hopper, when the continued circular movement of the ring or band F will result in the feed-regulating ring or band F being raised or lowered, as will be readily understood, and it will be apparent that the stops F may be so arranged as to stop the circular movement of the ring or band F within very narrow limits.

The blocks 13, which are provided with vertical grooves or channels on their inner surfaces, constitute the outer grinding surface or Wall and operate in connection with the inclined or spiral grooves or channels formed on the outer surface of the cylinder A, and these blocks are radially adjustable with reference to said cylinder, whereby the crushing area or distance between the grindingsurfaces of said blocks and the said cylinder can be either increased or diminished at will and during the processes of grinding without stopping the mill, all of said blocks being operated in a simultaneous and uniform man nor by means of the large gear-ring D,which may be turned in either direction, as will be readily understood, the operation of turning said ring resulting in forcing the said blocks B inwardly or outwardly, according to the direction in which said ring is turned. The movable slides O are intended to overlap or close the space between said blocks occasioned by the operation of moving the latter outwardly, and the operation of the machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

A rotary motion being imparted to the cylinderA by the gear J the wheat to be crushed is delivered into the hopper E through the openings E and, falling on the guard-plate E said hopper holds the wheat, as shown in the drawings, and the latter passes down through the annular space E and through the annular opening or space E below the hopper onto the cylinderA, and by the centrifugal action of said cylinder the wheat is conveyed to its outer periphery in a uniform and regular manner and falls down into the grinding space between said cylinder and the blocks B, being facilitated in its movement by the lead-away formation B of the block B. The draft or current occasioned by the operation of the mill draws the grain down through the grooves B in which it is crushed and ground into flour of the required fineness, and said flour falls on the tray G and is swept or conveyed outward by the collector G and is finally delivered through the discharge-opening G and it will be understood that during the operation of the mill the operator can regulate the width of the grinding area or space between the cylinder and the blocks 13 by simply turning the gear-ring D by means of the shafts J or either or them.

The grain may be crushed to any fineness in one operation by closing the blocks B, or what is technically known in the milling trade as the short system, while if the long system be adopted two or more of these machines may be employed in the ordinary m anner as is the case with existing flour-mills.

The bearings A and A may be of any desired construction, and the upper bearing A is supported by an annular band K, which is connected with the outer wall of the hopper by radial arms K and which forms the inner wall of the annular space E, and said hopper E is supported by arms L, secured to the casing J any desired number of which may be employed, and the annular band K is provided with inwardly-directed arms K which support the bearing proper.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A grinding-mill, comprising a casing, a vertical shaft mounted centrally thereof, a grinding-cylinder connected with said shaft, radiallyadjustable grindingblocks inclosing said cylinder and having circular inner faces, slides connected with the ends of said blocks for closing the spaces between the same when they are moved outwardly, a tray mounted below said cylinder, and adapted to receive the flour, and ahopper mounted above said cylinder and provided with means for feeding the grain therefrom, into the grinding-space between said cylinder and said grinding-blocks, and devices for regulating the flow of the grain into said grinding-space, substantially as shown and described.

2. A mill of the character herein described, comprising a casing, a vertical shaft mounted therein and provided with means for operating it, a grinding-cylinder mounted on said shaft and provided with inclined or spiral grooves in its outer face, a gear ring mounted between said casing and said cylinder, devices for revolving said ring, radially-adjustable grinding-blocks mounted between said ring and said cylinder, the inner surfaces of which are curved to correspond with the perimeter of said cylinder, and means for feed ing the material to be ground to the grinding space or interval between said blocks and said cylinder, substantially as described.

A mill of the character herein described, comprising a casing, a vertical shaft mounted therein and provided with means for operating it, a grinding-cylinder mounted on said shaft and provided with inclined or spiral grooves in its outer face, a gear-ring mounted between said casing and said cylinder, devices for revolving said ring, radially-adjustable grinding-blocks mounted between said ring and said cylinder, the inner surfaces of which are curved to correspond with the perimeter of said cylinder, and means for feeding the material to be ground to the grinding space or interval between said blocks and said cylinder, said mill being also provided with a tray beneath said cylinder provided with a passage for the flour, and the cylinder being provided with means for collecting and passing the ground product therethrough, substantially as described.

4. In a mill of the character herein described, a casing, a vertical shaft mounted therein centrally thereof, means for operating said shaft, a grinding-cylinder mounted thereon, a revoluble ring mounted between said casin g and said cylinder,radially-adjustable grinding-blocks mounted between said ring and said cylinder and adapted to be operated by said ring, adjustable slides connected with the ends" of said blocks and adapted to close the space between the same when the latter are moved outwardly, and means for feeding the material to be ground between said blocks and said cylinder, substantially as described.

5. In a mill of the character herein described, a casing, a vertical shaft mounted therein, a cylinder mounted on said shaft, a revoluble ring mounted between said casing and said cylinder, radially-adjustable grinding-blocks mounted between said ring and said cylinder and adapted to be operated by said ring, said cylinder being provided in its outer surface with inclined or spiral grooves, and said blocks with vertical grooves, and means for feeding the material to be ground between said blocks and said cylinder, substantially as described.

6. A grinding-mill, comprising a casing, a revoluble cylinder mounted therein, a tray supported below said cylinder, radially-adjustable grinding-blocks inclosing said cylinder and provided with circular inner faces, said tray being also provided with an opening, and said cylinder with a collector which is secured to the'bottom thereof, and a hop per mounted above said cylinder, the bottom portion of which comprises two concentric casings between which is an annular space, through which the grain passes, a top or guard plate mounted above said cylinder and inclos ing said hopper, and between which plate and said cylinder is an annular space, which is in communication with the grinding-space between the said radially-adjustable grinding= blocks and said cylinder, and also in com munication with the annular space of the hopper, and means for regulating the flow of the grain through the annular space between the top or guard plate and the cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

7. A grinding-mill, comprising a casing, a revoluble cylinder mountedtherein, a tray supported below said cylinder, radially-adjustable grinding-blocks inclosing said cylinder and provided with circular inner faces, said tray being also provided with an opening, and said cylinder with a collector which is secured to the bottom thereof, and a hopper mounted above said cylinder, the bottom portion of which comprises two concentric casings between which is an annular space, through which the grain passes, a top or guard plate mounted above said cylinder and inclosing said hopper, and between which plate and said cylinder is an annular space, which is in communication with the grinding-space between the said radially-adjustable grinding-blocks and said cylinder, and also in communication with the annular space of the hopper, and means for regulating the flow of the grain through the annular space between the top or guard plate and the cylinder, consisting of a vertically-movable ring or band mounted between said top or guard plate, and the hopper, and means for raising and lowering the same, substantially as shown and described.

8. A mill, comprising a casing, a vertical shaft mounted therein, a grinding-cylinder mounted on said shaft, short shafts journaled in said casing and provided with pinions, a gear-ring mounted on said pinions, screwthreaded bearings mounted in said casing above said last-named shafts, shafts mounted in said bearings and provided with screwthreaded heads which operate in said bearings, said shafts being provided inside of said casing with pinions which operate in connection with said gear-ring, grindingblocks connected with the inner ends of said last-named shafts and inclosing said cylinder, the inner faces of said blocks being circular in form, and a hopper mounted above said cylinder, and means for feeding the grain therefrom into the space between said cylinder and said blocks, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two witnesses, this 23d day of April, 1896.

JOSEPH WILLLUI CU LNING ILUI.

Witnesses:

E. H. D. SMITH, RIcHD. SPARROW. 

